


IceBath

by LoudandDangerous



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Abusive Relationships, BUT THEN IT GETS SAD, But don't be alarmed, Cold, I can't have nice things-freeform, I lied, I'm so fucking sorry, Ice bath, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, REALLY FUCKIN SAD, Rape/Non-con Elements, SO, Sad, Saddest fucking Joshler fic ever, Snow and Ice, THERE WILL BE A WEDDING, Tyler and Josh's wedding actually, but nobody dies, okay, so….
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-08
Updated: 2015-12-04
Packaged: 2018-04-25 12:07:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 9,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4960027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoudandDangerous/pseuds/LoudandDangerous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not like Tyler doesn't love Carter. It's just that Carter has a funny way of showing love back. He makes Tyler take ice baths when he doesn't do something properly. He berates Tyler when he has a panic attack. Yes, Tyler loves the sex but that hasn't been happening lately.</p><p>Intimate time between them usually results in Tyler giving Carter a tired handjob or a dreary blowjob.</p><p>Then Josh steps into the picture.</p><p>Josh doesn't give Tyler ice baths. He doesn't berate Tyler. He lets Tyler choose what they do in the bedroom.</p><p>But Carter doesn't like this at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry.

Tyler sleeps in Carter's grip. Arms wrapped around his small frame and nuzzling into his brunet hair quite comfortably. Tyler likes it when Carter's at ease, it saves him the trouble of cleaning up bruises.

 

Carter had slammed him against the wall the night before. Tyler held his hands in front of his face, shielding tears and only then, did Carter realize what he did. He didn't stop though, he simply yanked Tyler by the foot and pull him towards the bedroom. Tyler remembers crying when Carter hit his prostate. He remembers fighting back but finding his hands handcuffed.

 

''Carter, please." He whispered.

 

Carter only went faster, jerking off Tyler. When Carter came, Tyler hadn't finished, but this didn't stop Carter from pulling out and rolling over. He went to sleep, Tyler aching and handcuffed beside him. The next morning, Tyler had a headache and felt so untouched. Carter noticed him writhing in pain, snickered and left for work.

 

So Tyler waited and waited. 

 

Waited for Carter to come home and punish him. He didn't want it but it was a hole dug too far deep down. He couldn't free himself and he couldn't scream anymore.

 

So once Carter finally arrives home, he lays down on the bed beside Tyler and just lies there. He doesn't acknowledge Tyler writhing beside him. He doesn't acknowledge Tyler's tears. He doesn't acknowledge Tyler's bruise on his hip from the day he slammed him against a wall. He doesn't acknowledge Tyler at all.

 

And that hurts so badly.

 

''Ca--Carter?" Tyler whimpers beside. ''Could you please--''

 

''Ugh, what do you want now? I'm busy trying to sleep." He retorts, deadpanned and angry.

 

''But Carter--''

 

''Sweetheart, you don't want an ice bath do you?" He smiles innocently at Tyler. Tyler's face is red, wet with tears and he just wants to sleep. He wants Carter to be happy so he doesn't hurt him. He wants to sleep with Carter like he had before. No worries of getting bruised by force, but getting bruised from Carter's kisses. Hickeys instead of brutal reminders of a fight they had and a glass vase just happened to be near Carter.

 

It's not like Tyler hasn't tried breaking up with Carter. He tried after Carter raped him for the first time.

 

But Carter got angry and choked Tyler until he passed out and forgot what he was doing. 

 

Carter brought Tyler down. He brought his self esteem down and Tyler believed that the only one who would give him 'love' was Carter. Tyler thinks love is being able to not cry after getting hit. Love to Tyler is the feeling when Carter slams his entire body against a wall and he doesn't cry anymore. He doesn't scream or shriek from the pain. He takes it because that's what Carter told him to do.

 

So Tyler does.

 

Icebaths were a different thing. Carter stripped Tyler of all his clothes and made him sit outside in a pool of solid ice and freezing water. Carter preferred to do this outside in winter. But during summer, Carter turned up the air conditioning to where the cold was no longer refreshing. He made Tyler sit for hours in the ice bath.

 

''Don't come out until you learn." Carter would shout from the screen door leading to the backyard and for a moment, Tyler would see someone else with Carter in the house.

 

Their house.

 

But he would dismiss the idea. The cold is getting to his head.

 

So when about 5 hours pass and the ice has barely melted in the winter air, Carter lets Tyler inside. The air conditioning is on and Tyler is still cold inside the house. 

 

Carter laughs and zips up his sweater. He grins when he sees Tyler sneeze from catching a cold and makes Tyler sleep on the couch. In the cold. Without a blanket.  So he tosses and turns, twisting and by time to sky gets brighter, Tyler is sneezing and coughing. He feels sick and when Carter takes his temperature, he drops at the temperature. About 15 degrees higher than it should be. He shrugs and lies to Tyler instead. 

 

''It says your temperature's normal." He shrugs again and heads off to work. 

 

By time Carter comes back, Tyler has thrown up twice and currently sleeps on the couch. Carter decides that it's a good time for sex when Tyler awakes from his nap. So he carries Tyler to the bedroom and fucks him senseless.

 

Now, Tyler lays in agony beside Carter. Carter sleeps and Tyler lies awake, questioning why he doesn't just break up with Carter. But he remembers what Carter is capable of and he just sits. He sits and waits.

 

He's sleep deprived. He hasn't slept in over 24 hours and Carter doesn't seem to care. Carter rolls over, on Tyler and brushing over his cock. Tyler whimpers and comes all over Carter, finally releasing himself. He moans loudly, calming down but he dirtied the bed.

 

Carter was going to give him an ice bath for this. 

 

Tyler now hears something louder than his moan. He hears his stomach growl and he doesn't remember eating at all lately. He remembers why though, he remembers Carter's words.

_"You're getting fat, sweetheart. Maybe lay off eating for a while."_

 

So he did.

 

He snuck a granola bar but felt guilty about it and made himself throw it back up. 

 

Carter awakens and eyes the bed sheets that Tyler dirtied a few minutes ago. Carter raises an eyebrow and scowls at Tyler. 

 

''I'll get the ice bath ready." He deadpans and Tyler wants to cry.

* * *

Tyler was unaware of the blizzard warning in effect. He knows he shouldn't be outside in snow, freezing water and solid ice. He should be inside with Carter. The lights in the house are on and Tyler can tell the heater is too.

 

He knows there's heat radiating from the house as Carter watches from the opened curtains upstairs. 

 

 _'Love you, sweetheart.'_  Carter mouthes, blowing a kiss and closing the curtains.

 

And Tyler is all alone by himself.


	2. Two.

Tyler hates the cold. He hates the fucking month of December. Yesterday it was November and now it's December. 

 

Tyler hates December 1st.

 

He cannot remember why the specific date rings a bell. The cold is probably contributing to that. 

 

Oh, December 1st is someone's birthday.

 

 _Sarah Silverman,_ Tyler thinks, overlooking another birthday.

 

His own.

 

So he sits in the ice bath and waits. He waits for Carter to open the door and let him inside. He waits for Carter to cuddle him in the bedroom and let him bask in the warmth. Tyler knows it probably won't happen. He knows Carter might just hurt him again.

 

So he sits, tears freezing on impact with the cold water he sits in. 

 

Carter opens the window and Tyler almost cries because the little bit of heat pouring from the house feels so good. It feels amazing and he knows the Carter would punish him if he knew Tyler was enjoying the heat. Carter watches Tyler intently, a bit of curiosity at his freezing boyfriend.

 

''Carter c-could you ca--ca--call 911?"

 

"Why the hell would I do that?" He spits back in disgust at Tyler's request. 

 

''I think I have hypothermia."

 

Carter raises his eyebrows. He knows he's gone too far. Tyler is crying and shivering in the ice bath and it's a blizzard outside. 

 

_A blizzard._

 

So Tyler curls his knees to his chest and wraps around himself for warmth. It fails to work and he wants to cry.

 

He's so cold and Carter won't let him inside.

 

"Carter…please let me inside." He whispers, the cold from his words looming in the air before him. 

 

''Not now, sweetheart." Carter is on the phone, holding up a finger to Tyler to be quiet. 

 

Tyler thinks he's calling 911. He doesn't know Carter is calling a 'friend' because Tyler might not make it through the night and you can't fuck a dead corpse. 

 

Tyler wants to throw up. But there's nothing there to throw up. He hasn't eaten in a week.

 

"Carter please." Tyler raises his voice a bit, louder so Carter understands.

 

"Not. Now." Carter matches Tyler's tone on 'Not' but raises it louder on 'Now'.

 

"Carter. I'm freezing. Please let me inside." 

 

Carter is done. He grips the neck of he beer bottle and throws it at Tyler, smashing on the ice layer atop the ice bath and scraping Tyler, the water slowly turning red as the blood clouds within the water. 

 

''I SAID NOT NOW!" He slams the window shut and waits for his friend to arrive. 

 

Tyler is cut, bruised, beaten down and cold.

 

It hurts just as much as it sounds and Tyler is crying even more now. 

 

He decides he will die out here. Carter will find his body, snicker and leave it there in the ice bath. 

 

But there fence creaks behind him and something heavy falls into the snow about half a mile from where Tyler sits. Something blue and…

 

Fluffy?

 

Then the head pops up and stares at Tyler. There are no words, just the horrified expression from the man.

 

''Who the fuck is Carter and where will I hide his body when I kill him?" The man questions, stepping foreword to Tyler in the ice bath.

 

''He---He---He's inside." Tyler shrugs and sits back in the bath. "Don't do it…..he'll choke you." 

 

The man rolls up his sleeve and runs to the house.

 

_"I'd like to see him try."_


	3. Three

Tyler knows what it feels like to be slammed against a wall and by the sounds of crashing echoing through the house, he thinks Josh knows what it feels like too. 

 

It's too much. It's like an orchestra that hasn't read the music properly. The violins are screeching, pitches too high, trumpets too loud, all playing different things.

 

It's like Whiplash. 

 

Tyler is not surprised if Carter throws a chair at Josh and makes his hands bleed. Tyler cannot move anymore, his legs have fallen asleep and feel like TV static. He can hear shouting and glass breaking, shouts of ''WHO THE FUCK IS THIS? FIRST YOU ABUSE TYLER AND THEN YOU CHEAT?!" 

 

Tyler wants to tip over the ice bath and lay in the pillow of snow lined underneath. His nose is red, his feet are ice cubes and he wants a sweater. Or something to drown out the sounds of the man and Carter.

 

He's just a doll. One that's going to be played with too much. One that's going to break because someone became aggressive in the dollhouse. First he'll lose his shoe, probably tossed in the crevice of the car with cookie crumbs and unidentifiable stickiness. Second he'll lose his mind, dumbed down until it's turned off completely and he can just be played with how ever Carter wants. 

 

Then he'll lose his arm, ripped off because slamming against walls wasn't doing anything so punching and kicking would suffice. He'll fall apart and Carter will rebuild the fragile pieces just to fuck and break again.

 

But when Carter rebuilds the doll, he'll make it perfect. He'll make it a pet. A pet that looks to him for love, food and warmth because Tyler is too fragile now. He's a kicked puppy. One that Carter likes -no-  _loves_ to kick. He hears him whimper and takes it up a notch by taking away the food bowl and making Tyler feel guilty about trying to do something he  _needs_ to do.

 

When a plate smashes against the window and leaves a spider web crack, Tyler doesn't know how to react anymore. He's too cold. He's too broken down. He wants to die and he knows he will. 

 

When the night wears off, Tyler will be dead.

 

The angels will take his cold body and bury it under snow because at least then, Carter won't be able to abuse his corpse.

 

He's trying to stay awake. He's trying because if he closes his eyes they may never open again and he wants to cling on. He wants to live to see something better. 

 

His skin is colder than his bones and he'll take his place on the couch if it means he isn't outside anymore. 

 

So he keeps his heavy eye lids open and tries to stay awake for as long as he can. But then he has no problem staying awake because hears the gunshot echo from the house and Carter's voice shouting ''FUCK YOU! That's what you deserve."

 

Tyler tried to warn the man. He tried to warn him that Carter is capable of too many things and now this man would probably die because he tried to save him. Tyler knows that Carter will blame him for the man's actions and his icebath will be extended. Or worse, he'll be shot too.

 

Tyler cannot cry. He does not energy to cry anymore and he knows that any energy he  _does_ have will go to his stomach to keep himself from starving to death. 

 

But Carter's body is slammed against the spider web cracked window and Tyler stops. The window is broken and he flinches at the heat pouring out from inside. It feels good and the man is watching Tyler from inside the house.

 

'' _I told you I'd like to see him try."_


	4. Four.

Carter lay out on the snow and Tyler thought someone might have to use an ice ax to break him out of the thick layer of ice in the ice bath. But he was wrong. 

 

The blue haired man had simply gripped Tyler by the shoulders and hauled him from the ice bath. Tyler's boxers were soaked, being the only clothing on his body and the man had to carry Tyler into the house so Tyler wouldn't die. Tyler briefly hissed at the warmth coming in contact with his body and retracted himself in fear that Carter would punish him for enjoying the heat. 

 

''….he can't hurt you anymore." The man whispers to Tyler and touched his arm. 

 

Tyler begin hyperventilating. Crying without thinking because anytime Carter touched his arm like that, he was either A) Drunk, B) Going to hit Tyler, C) Yanking him to the bedroom for sex, or D) Digging his nails into Tyler's flesh because 'Why not use blood for lube?' he mentioned. 

 

Tyler cries and shoves his forehead into the man's shoulder. He is afraid of what happens when Carter comes back. He is afraid of Carter's hand around his neck. Gripping with fury and tightening his hands with each second that life and breath is escaping Tyler's lungs. This man - that Tyler hasn't even heard the name of - truly believes he can save Tyler. 

 

Tyler would like to laugh at that accusation if he were not shivering and adjusting to heat. When the man puts his sweater around Tyler to warm his some more, Tyler almost cries because he sees it as a form of generosity and the only time Carter was generous was when he wanted something in return.

 

Sex.

 

Tyler is far too damaged and while the man would like to help him get better, he does not know what will hurt Tyler. Tyler moves away from the man, handing back his sweater and pushing his hands in front of him.

 

''I--I can't. I'm sorry, I just don't want to get hurt again." Tyler whispers, shuffling away faster when the man moves closer. ''Please don't hurt me." 

 

The man holds out his sweater to Tyler, who is wary of accepting it, remembering Carter's words.

 

_"Babe you look cold today."_

 

_''Just a little cold." He smiled when Carter put his sweater around him._

 

And back at the house, Carter became furious when Tyler refused sex because he had a headache.

 

_"I gave you my_ _sweater, don't I deserve something in return?"_

 

Tyler didn't think so, but Carter had it embedded in Tyler's mind that no matter the argument, he was always right. So he had sex with Tyler and that headache upgraded to a migraine after Carter dug his nails into Tyler's back as he came.

 

They almost broke the bed that night and Tyler hated it.

 

But now Tyler hates it just as much because this man probably wanted sex. Nobody is nice to Tyler just because, they always want something.

 

With each thrust, every moan, grunt, shout, scream and kiss, Carter made sure Tyler knew his place. To be the rag doll that he got to play with because he was spoiled and didn't know something good when it happened. Tyler was a limited edition doll of 1 and Carter was going to rip the head off. 

 

It was horrible.

 

This man could not have cared about Tyler. He wouldn't have a reason to.

 

Right?

 

Tyler thinks so. 

 

But first, to know if this man really wanted to help Tyler, first he'd have to learn his name.

 

"Who--Who are you?" Tyler's voice was wavering, still shivering and calming down from the ice bath.

 

''I'm your neighbor, you never really see me though, I kinda just go to work and go home." He shrugs and Tyler can feel an ounce of the weight lift from his abdomen. "I'm Josh." He holds out his sweater farther to Tyler.

 

Tyler is hesitant, but he takes the sweater cautiously. 

 

''Hi, Josh." He whispers.


	5. Five

Tyler is afraid of Josh. He's been hurt far too long and he believes allowing someone else into his life is like accepting more bruises.

 

Violent ones.

 

And the idea of subjecting himself to more pain and terror seems like a very,  _very_ stupid thing. 

 

The broken window blasts in cold air and Tyler continues to shiver even with Josh's sweater wrapped around him. Josh feels burning remorse bleed within him but he knows that while Tyler will take a long time to recover, he must keep Carter away at all costs. Josh sees it as Carter being Bowser. Fire raining Hell upon Tyler for some unknown godforsaken reason and while he thinks he's saved Tyler, it is only the beginning. 

 

Sorry Josh, your prince is in another castle.

 

A castle that Josh will not have time to find today.

 

So he decides what to do with the broken window, the man laying in snow underneath it, Tyler shivering in his jacket, and of course, himself. The one who made a neutrally smart/foolish decision to interfere with their lives. Yet, of course the final outcome is leaning towards a smart decision due to the circumstance that he is partially (or all of) the reason that Tyler did not die in the icebath. 

It's easy to think that Tyler and Carter had it perfect. Nobody heard anything so nobody suspected.

Nobody knew the night Tyler lost his virginity. No living soul could hear "Carter stop! You're going too fast! You're gonna snap me in half. Please."

Josh certainly did not hear it. 

Now Josh tends to his gunshot wound. He patches it up with Scotch Tape and stickers.

He finds it ironic that the stickers say 'Good Job!' and 'Thank You!'.

Perhaps these stickers say what Tyler cannot. Because when Tyler smiles at him, he knows he did a good job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the short chapter. I've been grounded so I wrote this on a DS in a Party City.


	6. Six.

Pi. π. 3.14.

 

Pi goes on forever. An irrational number.

 

Do you know what else is irrational?

 

Carter.

 

His idea of what 'perfect' is. His idea of what 'love' is. All of it is irrational. Tyler is not perfect until he does not cry when Carter spits in his face. Pops bubblegum in his hair. Rolls his eyes when Tyler has a cold and asks for a glass of water.

 

But Josh decides that Tyler needs nothing but a blanket. Tyler doesn't wrap it around himself, Josh does it for him and carries him up the stairs. He lays Tyler flat on the bed, Tyler moans at the comfort and curls into the blanket. Josh sits on the edge of the bed, wondering if he should just leave or ask questions. He blurts it out before he has an answer.

 

''How long have you and Carter been dating?"

 

Tyler stops, sits up and rubs his eyes, wrapping the blanket like a burrito and staring at Josh. "3 years." Tyler adjusts his sitting. "I suppose the relationship was a time bomb anyway."

 

"He's gone, I guess." Josh looks out the window, afraid when he doesn't see Carter lying out with the snow and broken glass. Tyler leans back in the bed. 

 

''Thanks. I kinda needed that." Tyler blushes and Josh is relieved that Tyler has enough blood left to blush. Josh sits beside Tyler and realizes that Tyler is still in his underwear. 

 

''Come on, I'll take you to my house." Josh offers and Tyler doesn't question it. ' _He just saved me from Carter, he can't be that bad'_

* * *

Josh's house is brightly lit, he has cat fishing pole toys on the couch and Tyler wonders if he has a cat. 

 

''You have a cat?"

 

''No. I just like playing with cat toys." Josh grins, Tyler cannot decipher if Josh is joking or not.

 

After following Josh through a maze of hallways, Tyler comes to the illation that Josh, indeed, does not have a cat. Josh's room is pretty big, it's evident he knocked out a wall and had more space added from what looks like two rooms together. He has vinyls line the walls, a few good ones like an original 12 inch of Simple Minds. He has Trouble Man by Marvin Gaye and Material Girl by Madonna. 

 

Work papers scatter his desks but other papers are just IKEA instruction papers. Josh pats the bed for Tyler to sits on and when Tyler obeys, Josh turns on the heater. 

 

''First off, I'm going to take you to a hospital because you're bleeding profusely from your abdomen, second, I'm going to make sure Carter doesn't fuck with you anymore so I want you to stay with me for a while." Josh says as he rips open mail and letters. 

 

''Okay." Tyler nods, eager to get away from Carter and learn more about Josh. 

 

Josh sets a vinyl on the record player and they listen to Pink Floyd as Josh gets ready to take Tyler to the hospital.

 


	7. Seven

Fluorescent. So elegantly fluorescent that it almost blinds Tyler, who's succumbed to the gelid weather. Sitting beside Josh and clutching his hand when they take him seems to make fear go away, like the cold nipping and demons yelling will see Josh, his bright hair, sleeve of tattoos and they'll run. He looks like a bad guy. Since when do tattoos make you the bad guy? Carter didn't have any tattoos, well, beside Tyler's name on his back from the happiest parts of the relationship.

 

Josh squeezes Tyler's hand, feeling warm return but flee when he releases, he cannot go beyond the doors when they take Tyler away. Josh stands there, the doors swinging back and forth as most hospital doors do. He sits in the waiting room, a magazine opened in his grasp but none of his mind is processing the words, processing anything, any word, any recipe, any DIY project, any article. He revolves around Tyler's well being. He rocks back and forth slowly on the hospital chair, cringing at the Backyardigans playing on the television. "He's going to be okay. He'll be fine. He's going to be happy and when we get home, I'm gonna beat Carter's ass so hard that he's won't be able to sit for years." He takes a deep breath. 

 

"Mr. Dun?" The nurse stands beside the door, Josh is pondering how quickly it was but it met with disappointment that Tyler's still not okay. "He's going to be okay. No hypothermia has been detected but it's still early. You can go home." She assures, Josh stays put. He blinks, turns to the television and waiting room. 

 

"I'm fine." He sits back in the uncomfortable chair and crosses his legs. "He--he's worth it." So he reads a torrid issue of Cosmopolitan and waits for Tyler's discharge.

* * *

It's almost morning, snow melting ever so slowly when Tyler's brought in a wheelchair. Josh's face reads tired, but his body reads 'excited puppy who likes people'. Tyler signs a document, stating Josh for an emergency contact. "Where's Carter?"

 

Josh bares his teeth, eyes rolling upon anger at the thought of Carter. His fucking hair, his fucking cackle, grin, icebaths and the fact that he had a good thing. He simply never took proper care of it. Snow crunches fairly hard under his boots, Tyler humming a song to himself when they reach Josh's car. "I think he belongs in jail, but I don't think he's there yet." He rolls his eyes, Tyler yawns. There's snow twisting on the roads, rooftops too when it begins again. Josh refuses to mention ice, afraid it might trigger terrible memories of icebaths that Tyler has obviously had before. He pulls the steering wheel to avoid the holes in the road so Tyler sleeps fine. He looks like he hasn't eaten in days, a week maybe. Josh makes a mental note to himself to make Tyler something when he arrives home. He mutters something about the government under his breath, using his taxes on political debates that nobody seems to give a shit for instead of using them to fill the holes in the road.

 

He carries Tyler inside once he gets home. Carrying the brunet to the bedroom and laying him down on the bed. He rolls up the covers, smiling softly when Tyler rolls over and seems to enjoy the blanket. Truly unbeknownst to Josh that Carter's 'games' often included rolling up in the blanket and when Tyler pawed at it, he pretended Tyler wanted sex and would often reply with 'Not now, babe'. Tyler thinks Josh is too nice, actually caring about him enough to let him sleep in the nicest of sheets. 

 

Tyler almost rolls off the bed, Josh readily catches him and retreats to the kitchen to make him something. 

 


	8. Eight.

Love is a beautiful thing. There are subtle ways to show it, though Tyler's only seen or heard few. Simple 'I love you's, 'I'm worried about you', 'Come here, we'll cuddle, 'Let it all out, cry into my shoulder. Josh can hear the very quiet yawn from the bedroom, the ruffle of the sheets moving against one another, the thump of his feet on the carpet. A small shuffle as Tyler strolls into the kitchen, sitting on the stool.

 

"Like, I don't know how to make food….you feel? I've kinda just been living off Toaster Strudels and Mozzarella sticks." Josh shrugs, pushing the plate in front of Tyler sitting on the stool. "I don't know what you like, so I just made a sandwich, some chips and baked a cupcake." He points to an Easy Bake oven on the counter beside him. Tyler stares at the plate and blinks, he's immensely confused. "…I made a cupcake because the hospital said it was your birthday…." Josh looks to the tile, something curling in his throat and slowly letting anger crawl up his ribcage. He fiddles with his hands for a moment while Tyler still stares at the plate. 

 

"…Carter told me not to eat for a while." Tyler mumbles and Josh's anger is going to rise tenfold. "….I'll feel guilty about eating this." He pushes it towards Josh.

 

Josh shakes his head, pushing it back and crossing his arms. "Why do you still think you're with Carter?"

 

"….because he said he'd kill me if I left him." Tyler doesn't meet Josh's gaze, picking up the fork and moving it around the potato chips, around the bread. "I--I don't really know why or how he does it. I feel like someday he--he'll come back and we'll be okay again."

 

"…and what happens when he hits you again?" Tyler goes quiet, looking over to the side to avoid Josh's gaze. He swallows before picking up the sandwich and biting, internally moaning. Internal? no.  _External?_ yes.

 

Josh almost gaps at Tyler's obscene moan. Good god, it's too much. 

 

Tyler finishes the sandwich, Josh looks for a candle to put in the cupcake. Tyler comes to realize that Carter never did anything special so much as a confectionary for his birthday. Carter gave him--

 

Well, what do ya' know? Carter gave him birthday sex.

 

Josh finally finds a candle, in a package for a 1st birthday but he decides Tyler won't really care. "Happy birthday." He whispers, it's almost intimate. But it's more endearing than anything else. He holds up the cupcake, turning off the light so the only source of glow is the candle between them. A small orange ember. As Tyler blows out the candle, leaving a small trail of smoke he just stares at Josh. Subtle intimacy. 

 

Josh picks up Tyler, handing him the cupcake and carrying him to the bedroom. He lays Tyler in the bed, turning on X-Files and going off to clean up the kitchen. He watches the show, fairly confused but dismisses the idea.

 

_Maybe there are just really good people in the world._

 

He watches the first 15 episodes of the first season, laying down in the bed and sleeping under the covers. He yawns, smiling to himself. Josh finds Tyler sleeping, pulling up the covers. Josh lays beside Tyler, curling around the small frame and hugging the scrawny body. Chest rising and falling as Josh taps lightly on Tyler's chest. Drumming a light beat to match the pump of his heart. 

 

 _"Sometimes you gotta bleed to know_ _…"_ He sings softly, smiling warmly.  _"That you're alive and have a soul_ _…"_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why, I have a fucking obsession with Josh owning a Magic 9 ball (Yes, 9) and an Easy Bake. 
> 
>  
> 
> I really don't know why.
> 
> I changed the warnings, I added something but don't be alarmed by it. (Well, not yet anyways…)  
>  
> 
> UPDATE: IM FUCKING SCREAMING HOLDING ONTO YOU CAME ON THE RADIO (Well, an alternative statio but still) AND IM CRYING AND RAPPING AT THE ASME TIME AND MY SISTER TOOK A VIDEO AND IM STILL HOLLERING.
> 
> \


	9. Nine - Intermission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to treat you guys to some fluff because it's going to get REALLY heavy in the next few chapters. We'll also be seeing more flashbacks and LOTS OF WORDS because I have like 4 thousand words for 8 chapters and that not even a thousand words per chapter.

Tyler only remembers it being a nightmare.

 

_Standing outside the tent. Carter inside, fixing up. His hands covering his eyes so he couldn't ruin Carter's "Surprise"._

_"Can I come in now?"_

_"Not yet....you're so impatient."_

_So he stood for another 3 minutes before Carter finally allowed him in. The room was dark, the only light source was a lantern in the corner of the room._

_"Why is it so...dark?"_

_"It's more passionate this way."_

_He held up a small square package. Tyler squinted at it before realizing what it was._

_"Carter--you know I'm not ready." Tyler stuttered._

_"Come on. You're 24, you should be ready by now." A smirk grew upon his face._

_He slowly backed away._

_"Tyler do you love me?"_

_He stayed silent._

_"Do you love me?" He asked again, raising his voice._

_"Yes"_

_  
"If you loved me, then you would do this!" He screeched. _

 

So Tyler did. And he tumbles on the bed when he remembers. He opens his eyes, taking a deep breath. A cupcake wrapper with crumbs on it lying on Josh's side table, Josh nuzzled beside him, warm bodies connecting. 

 

"I want to go dancing."

 

"Dancing?"

 

"Of course." 

 

"But why?"

 

"I want to go dancing, always have. Carter just never wanted to take me. Said something about being too tired, but when I brought up sex he'd jump up and never hesitate getting dressed." Tyler shrugs, staring Josh down with innocence and daggers in his eyes. "Come on, please?"

 

"..why not." He shrugs, rolling off the bed and waving for Tyler to come with him.

* * *

There's only a lamp on in the kitchen, nothing Tyler would complain about. He swings his feet back and forth as Josh maneuvers around, moving his fingers to flip through the record rapidly.

 

He flips the record, gliding it onto the record player with ease and placing the needle on it.

 

"What's this?"

 

"Batman from the 90's had this song, called Kiss from a Rose. I promised myself I would dance to it at my wedding." He shrugs, pulling Tyler close and holding his hand. "I don't know how to dance." He whispers, Tyler grins.  _Carter never took him dancing. Carter never cared for dancing. Dancing under the sheets? That was his favorite thing to do._

 

"S'okay, I wanted to go dancing didn't I? So if I wanted to, it must mean that I know how to. I'll teach you." He takes the lead, smiling and leaning his head on Josh's shoulder. _"It takes someone to come around to show you how."_ He mumbles, stepping back and taking Josh with him. "So, first you step back like this." He smiles when Josh obliges. "Then you step forward….just like that, and then you sorta just wrap your hand around my back and--" Tyler arches into Josh's hold on his back, though he still continues. "--then we just kinda continue for a while." 

 

So they dance along the kitchen, socks on tile and literally no sound but their slowed breathing and the record player. "You ever think it's weird that we're dancing in the kitchen at 3 in the morning?"

 

"Course not, you ever think it's weird that you're in the X-files fan club?"

 

"…where'd you get that information from?"

 

"Your I.D card is on the wall." He points to the wall, the paper I.D in a glass case.  _Agent Dun._ He snickers, Josh goes red. "Listen, if this makes you feel awkward--"

 

"It doesn't." He grins. "--it's sort of peaceful. I guess I don't know why, I just feel like this is what my first dance at my wedding would be like." He shrugs, pressing Tyler's hand harder. 

 

Tyler giggles softly. "Maybe I'm the one you'll be sharing your first dance with." 

 

_"Maybe"_

 

It's not strange to dance with your neighbor at 3 in the morning. It's not strange at all. The kitchen is dimly lit, Tyler swaying beside Josh softly with his eyes closed. He once imagined dancing with Carter like this at their wedding. Maybe if Carter actually cared enough. They once went to a 1950's themed restaurant. Tyler wanted to dance like Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction. Carter said no, didn't look up from the menu and pursed his lips.  _"You're gonna make a goddamn fool out of yourself."_ _"No I'm not, come on! Carter, you never want to do anything fun."_ That's when Carter finally looks up, stares Tyler straight in the eyes with his emerald green daggers and scowls. It's full of utter apathy when he says it.  _"Sex is fun, isn't it?"_

 

"I'm so fucking uncoordinated." Josh grins, laughing quietly as the song plays on. "..but it's fun."

 

"What's fun?"

 

"Dancing is fun, isn't it?" That's when it hits Tyler.  _Sex is fun, isn't it?_ Josh truly is nothing like Carter. With Carter, it's like poking a bear with a stick. Josh? Josh is like handing a Hamster a marshmallow. Josh leans on Tyler's shoulder. "I kind of never want this to end."

 

But it does. Because he's gotta work in the morning. As the song end on the record player, Tyler slowly begins to see out the window. Glass sprawled across the other backyard, fence sort of falling over from when Josh climbed it. Icebath still on the snow, but the window seems to be repaired. No lights are on, the house seems to be empty. Josh carries Tyler to the bedroom, telling jokes as they go along. "Knock Knock."

 

"Who's there?"

 

"Canoe."

 

"Canoe who?"

 

He hesitates for a moment,  _Canoe tell me who's the tear in my heart?_ "Canoe tell me where Canada is?"

 

"Josh, that joke was stupid as fuck." Tyler can't help laughing though. 

 

"I know it was, Baby boy." He kicks open the bedroom door, laying Tyler down on the bed. "I'll get you a tooth brush." He opens the linen closet, tearing open a pack of toothbrushes and handing one to Tyler.

 

"…thanks."

 

Josh turns on X-files as Tyler brushes his teeth, handing him a t-shirt to sleep in, Only when Tyler goes to sleep, does Josh roll over. He briefly opens his eyes, looking over the side of the bed and smiling softly at Tyler. Green eyes, brown hair.

 

Tyler does't have green eyes.

 

_Carter does._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will only be two fluff chapter like this within the whole story.
> 
> The rest will be either: sad, angsty, raging with sin, literally smut, flashbacks or extremely sad.
> 
>  
> 
> I just wrote part of this entire story in Google docs, so we might be looking at a shit-ton of chapters.


	10. Ten.

He never wanted to start a fire. He never wanted to burn between Tyler's affection and Carter's hatred. But he did. As Carter snatches him from the bed, covering his mouth with the cloth and letting his eyes flutter closed, he notices something is off about Carter. Something is different, something different's been awakened. "Do you want to know a secret, Joshie?" He whispers, taunting like the devil. Josh's vision goes blurred. Carter is nothing but a Blurryface.

 

He's surprised Tyler didn't get hypothermia from the ice inside Carter's 'heart' and the icebath itself.

 

"…Tyler belongs to me." He whispers to Josh's unconscious body. "He exists for me. I don't know what you're thinking. I don't know if you think at all, but heed my warning when I say Tyler fuckin' Joseph belongs to _**me**_ " He grins, using his index finger to rub lightly on the bottom of Tyler's foot peeking through the blanket. The brunet shuffles under the covers, laughing quietly.

 

"Josh…J…Josh stop, that tickles." He mumbles sweetly under his breath, smiling against the pillow. Carter persists, grinning hen Tyler pulls his foot away. His hand follows, allowing Tyler to start laughing fairly louder.  _"Josh!"_ He laughs, opening his eyes to look at the blue haired man tickling his foot. But the smile drops quickly, replaced with an open mouthed frown in shock and horror.

 

_"Miss me, sweetheart?"_

 

Tyler pulls away a lot more forcefully, his knees pulling up to his chest as Carter grins and hops on the bed. "What'd you do to Josh?"

 

"Josh is out of the picture." Carter explains, ice cold chill running up Tyler's spine. He shivers briefly, looking to Josh's unconscious body on the carpet. "Calm down, kid's not dead….yet anyway." He waves over to Josh nonchalantly, Tyler backing until he hits the headboard. "Why do you look so scared? What is it, Tyler? Are you scared of me?"

 

"I'm….not…scared." He opens Josh's side table, he's gotta have  _something_ that could be vital in the present situation. He shuffles through the pencil shavings, the loose papers, the broken pencils, old concert tickets. Josh's junk drawer has nothing of use. "Car--Carter, get the fuck away from me." 

 

"Or else what? Come on, Wendy. Show Peter a good time." He whispers in the darkness, Tyler shaking visibly. The cupcake! The candle on the cupcake on the side table. Tyler snatches it, trying to stay off from Carter until he can find a match, a stick, a lighter.  _Something._ Tyler finds within Josh's junk drawer something important. A loose match. He swipes it on the wall, igniting the small stick and finally able to see clearly. He lights the candle, looking around the room for Carter. Sinister green eyes, lips tugging at a smirk, maybe a cackle that indicates how much he just  _loves_ playing games with Tyler. It hurts, it really does now that it's become explicit that Carter knows what he'd doing and how to get to Tyler. Carter's been igniting cerebral thunder within Tyler. 

 

He dips his foot to the carpet, the soft against his cold feet. The candle and match in his grasp, but he's not expecting the soft blow from Carter behind him. The soft blow that leaves both sources of light dark and smoldering. "Carter…" Tyler says sternly, trying his hardest to build confidence. "I--I'm stronger than you think I am."

 

"Is that so?" He says it like the Cheshire Cat, a grin that would make the most fearsome men run and cry. "Stronger than this?" Carter grips Tyler's wait, holding the pocket knife to his neck. "They say a blade is the strongest thing out there…"

 

"…and who said that?"

 

Carter presses the blade against Tyler's neck, not moving or cutting skin though. "I did." 

 

"That's real fuckin' neato." Tyler cackles, picking up the lingo he heard Josh say earlier while watching X-files. "But that's not a fact. It's an opinion." Tyler retaliates, slamming Carter against the wall and letting Josh's shelf fall down. "AND YOUR OPINION…." He pulls Carter, who drops the blade. He shoves against once he has a proper hold on the collar of his shirt. "….DOESN'T FUCKIN' MATTER!" Tyler scowls, leaning in close to Carter's face. "You thought it was hot when I used my British accent." Tyler whispers in Carter's ear.  _"Well, leave me the fuck alone or I will kick. your. arse."_

 

Carter doesn't show fear, he doesn't give up. He simply pushes Tyler off with force, and leaves. Tyler is terrified that it ended that quickly. He observes Josh's body on the ground, chest rising and falling, indicating that he's alive for one thing, and his breathing is elevated, so the cloth has nothing that could slow his breathing and kill him. Tyler tosses the cloth away, trying his hardest to return Josh to consciousness. 

 

It happens on it's own while Tyler's back is turned to the shelf on the ground. A family photo frame, a catnip toy, a small Groot and Rocket Raccoon figurine and a Men In Black mug. Tyler senses that Josh is awake, and he doesn't turn around to the blue haired man.

 

"I did it, Joshie." Tyler grins while shaking, blood pouring profusely out his nose and his eye twitches a bit. 

 

"What'd you do?" Josh eyes the room, torn papers, smashed items, a broken shelf. He sits on the foot of the bed as Tyler craws next to him.

 

_"I beat the big bad wolf."_

* * *

Tyler swings his feet innocently on the foot of the bed. Josh is busy tying his tie to notice. He slicks his hair back just a bit and brushes off his suit. The sun glints precariously through the window and while Tyler can't find Carter, it doesn't mean he isn't all the more terrified.

 

"Where do you work?" Tyler cocks his head to the side as he watches Josh.

 

"Reel Bear Law-firm." 

 

"A lawyer with blue hair?"

 

"I never said I was a lawyer. I mean, I am but yes. I'm a lawyer and I've got blue hair." He rolls up the sleeve of his dress shirt. "I pretty much said 'fuck you' to every stereotype. I mean, tattooed and employed, the younger clients and some older ones to seem to enjoy my blue hair." He shrugs, Tyler smiles. "Lawyers don't have to be sharks all the time…..they could be like me and buy cat toys without owning a cat." Tyler's smiles grows a little wider.

 

"You know, you actually look like Agent Dun on your X-files I.D." Tyler laughs and Josh's stomach gets fuckin' butterflies.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually hella hype because my comic book version of Tyler and Josh vs. The World is almost done. I literally just need to finish the flashback of Josh's death and go on from there. I'M SO FUCKIN HAPPY.
> 
> This chapter was actually supposed to end with the big bad wolf remark, but said 'HEY! Why the fuck not add a little info about them?'


	11. Eleven

It's swift when it happens. One minute Tyler is meeting Josh for the first time and now he's sitting awkwardly on the couch deciding how to get his things back from Carter. "…It's not like I don't know where the spare key is, I'm afraid of the possibility that I might see him again." He doesn't meet Josh's gaze as they sit on the couch. X-files playing on the television and Tyler wonders if this is all Josh does in his free time. Eat Toaster Strudels, watch X-files and play with cat toys.  _What an interesting man._

 

"If he messes with you again, I'll kick his ass." Josh's demeanor changes, anger fueling through his blood. "….he doesn't have power over you anymore."

 

"Yeah he does." Tyler stares down to the ground, swaying his foot on the carpet. He scoffs. "Figures he would. He's good at what he does, I guess." Tyler moves his fingers in circles, slowly on the arm of the chair. "…..always do what Carter says."

* * *

 _"Hey, Christopher Robin_ _…" Carter smiles sweetly, wrapping his arms around Tyler's waist. He wraps his arms around Tyler's waist, the latter wraps his own arms Carter's and smiles as Carter kisses along his neck. "…what do you want to do tonight?"_

 

_"I was thinking we watch Parks and Recreation re-runs." He whispers in response, Carter picking him up bridal style and setting him down on the bed. He lays Tyler flat, rolling up his shirt and kissing down his happy trail._

 

_"Sounds good to me."_

 

_Tyler remembers what he wanted to do, end it while waters were calm. "Carter….?" Tyler sits up, Carter is confused, Tyler swallows hard. "I--I feel like I should do this now. Before anyone gets hurt." He inhales deeply, lungs filling with Carter's cheap cologne. "I feel like we should break up."_

 

_Silence. Carter just blinks._

 

_"What?"_

 

_"I said I think we should break up." Swift. Tyler's coughing, weeping, wheezing, gasping, choking to breath as Carter's tightening fist has a torrent hold on his neck. Choking Tyler with his bow tie and hoisting him by his suspenders. Tyler sees stars, not the good kind however. Stars, black, stars, black, stars, black. "_

 

_Black stars._

 

_Then just black. "You're not breaking up with me." Carter cackles, dropping Tyler's unconscious body to the carpet before going on to watch the residents of Pawnee. "You will do as I say and you will fucking like it." He scoffs, rolling his eyes at Tyler, bruises on his neck, purple and blue on his abdomen from the night before. "You are to do as I say."_

* * *

Josh contemplates, deciding what to do as Tyler curls up on the couch and he pets his hair.  _"Shhh_ _….."_ He soothes, Tyler's breathing slows. "….why don't we just break in and get your things?" Tyler sits up, eyeing Josh confused and pouting.

 

"If he finds us…he--he'll kill us." Josh rolls up the sleeve of his dress shirt, blazer on the couch arm beside him. He shakes his head, thinking about the dire consequences. 

 

"I would really like to see him try considering I threw the fucker out the window. Believe me, I could do it again." Josh snickers, lacing up his shoes and standing to his feet. He holds out his hand, Tyler stares at him and blinks. "Come on, we'll decide what you need to take." Tyler stays quiet, but doesn't hesitate taking Josh's hand. Josh folds a pair of clutches on the bed and points to the bathroom. "Take a shower, I'll be right back." Tyler doesn't speak. He just stares at the folded clothing and listens to the rush of water emitting from the bathroom. 

 

He hesitates taking off his shirt, not bothering to look at the hickies mixed with violent bruises from Carter. He tugs at the hem, fingers ghosting over the cotton and Tyler gasps in the mirror. Mumbling a curse word at the bruise on the left side of his abdomen. Carter never plays fair.

 

He steps silently into the tub, water ripples as he stands under the spray of the faucet. He closes his eyes and waits as his hair sticks to his forehead.

 

Josh sits on he bed, rummages through old photos. Cringing with this disgust as the photo of him leaning on the car, Tyler and Carter's house behind him and his cluelessness. He wants to throw up because of it, but refrains when he hears the water tap turn off. Creaking of the faucet turn off and Tyler step out, unsure of himself with the towel wrapped around him. He holds the folded clothes in his hand and Josh takes the message rather quickly. He hops off the bed, shoving the box under the bed and leaving to let Tyler get dressed. 

 

Tyler is cautious about slipping on the borrowed pair of underwear, elastic brushing over Carter's marks and making Tyler wince in pain. It hurts  _badly,_ but Tyler shows resilience. Rolls with the punches because Josh promised to keep him safe and he's got a seven mile list of reasons why he should trust Josh. Josh makes it clear as to why he chooses to protect Tyler. "Come on, we'll be like spies." Josh grins when Tyler steps out the bedroom in Josh's favorite MCR shirt. He sits on the couch, Josh knows he's still quiet, shy but he helps him up and go down the endless halls of Josh's house. Tyler yawns quietly, Josh pulling him a little closer by the waist as he unlocks the front door and wraps his coat around Tyler. 

 

Carter never did that. Tyler tears up. 

 

"So, listen…." Josh grins. "I'm not going to let him fuck with you. If you see him, we'll establish a code word." Snow under his shoes as paces with Tyler. Tyler nods. "…skeleton."

 

"Why skeleton?"

 

"Because that's what Carter will be if he tries to hurt you." Josh addresses bluntly, Tyler kicks the clay pot off the stoop. A silver key laying beneath it. He opens the door, warmth hitting him in the face and familiar scent of smoke and alcohol. 

 

"My stuff's upstairs." Tyler steps up the stairs, Josh following behind and staring grim at the icebath in the backyard. Through the newly repaired window he hauled Carter out of. The gunshot in the wall. The kitchen unkempt. Plates smashed and--

 

and a shoulder mark in the wall. One from Carter shoving Tyler into it.

 

Tyler holds his arm, balancing clothes and jeans on it. Boxers, undershirts, a beanie and a photo frame of his family. Josh meets him upstairs, leaning in the doorway as Tyler takes his things. He stops, looking up from the drawer when hears the water running. The sound of footsteps throughout the hallway and he shoves Josh into the closet. He himself hides behind the door, whispering 'skeleton' under his breath in fear. The door creaks open, pushing against Tyler's body but leaving when a hand unhooks the towel.

 

That hand doesn't belong to Carter. It belongs to someone else. Josh remembers the voice from the other night. This is Carter's 'friend'. He swallows harder, breathing and heart racing in his body, under flesh and bones. Tyler is about to cry, recognizing Carter's voice, but not the other one moaning Carter's name. He feels a tear roll down when he hears  _'Touch me, Carter!'_ and  _'Hell yeah, babe'._ Josh feels around in his pocket for something, hearing the bathroom door close and stepping out the closet. He takes Tyler's hand, the brunet crying and Josh wants to take him home and sleep forever. "Before we go, there's something I need to do." He whispers to Tyler, hand turning the bathroom door and looking to the fogged shower glass, Carter inside and someone Tyler doesn't know. Josh feels his lips tug into a grin when he finds what he wanted inside his pocket.

 

_Tabasco Sause._

 

Josh doesn't hesitate stepping on his toes to dump in over the shower doors and dropping the bottle entirely in the shower. "You're acting like he doesn't deserve it." Tyler gasps, Josh hushes him and darts out the bathroom. He snatches Tyler's sweater from the door and leaves the house as Tyler looks back in shock.

 

"Oh my god, I can't believe you did that." Tyler is almost bursting of laughter as Josh picks him up bridal style. "You really fuckin' did that!"  

 

"And your point is?" Josh clutches the sweater tighter and raises his eyebrows. "I'm serious though, he deserved it." 

 

"Yeah--but why?" Tyler says it with happiness in his voice, it's not a question out of anger, it's out of happiness. He's smiling and Josh feels his little sewn up heart rip apart. Something about Tyler's smile makes Josh want him badly. "I mean you--"

 

 _"It's called being protective."_ Josh whispers, Tyler smiles just a little wider.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, but imagine this…
> 
> Josh in glasses and suspenders like he's a newspaper writer in the nineteen fuckin forties. I REALLY WANNA WRITE THAT.


	12. Twelve.

It's a sneeze. Then a cough. A whimper and a fever he can't sweat out. Tyler lays on the couch, curling himself into a ball while Josh wraps things up and puts his clothes into a drawer. Josh doesn't take notice at first, Tyler shuffling around before he lies down on the couch in the living room. Josh hums to himself as he puts Tyler's clothing in the drawer, flooding them neatly.

 

He rubs his eyes, sneezing twice before laying down on the couch. Watering eyes, runny nose and a fever through the roof. Josh stops folding up the clothes when he hears Tyler's quiet groan from the couch. "….you okay, Baby boy?" Tyler feverishly nods, eyes watering and closed. Breathing heavy, his face is red and he's whimpering too much. "…no you're not." He runs his hand over Tyler's forehead, earning a sharp hiss from the brunet and a cry when he swats Josh's hand away. 

 

"--leave…." He takes a deep breath, somehow out of it. "…me…" He closes his misty eyes, struggling to open them and seeing Josh's image above him, blurred from the water. Josh sits beside him on the couch, Tyler crosses his arms. Breathing slow, heart rate slow, headache raging. Cerebral thunder. Josh taps something, Tyler can't see what it is. He shoves it in Tyler's mouth, he tries to spit it out to no avail. "…shhh…" He rubs his thumb in circles on Tyler's back. "It's a thermometer. Calm down." Josh says it reassuringly, Tyler's lowers is flailing body at ease. He tries stabilizing his heart rate, It works successfully. "You'll be fine." He leaves it there, Tyler hear water running from the kitchen sink.  Tossing a wet cloth over Tyler's forehead and wrapping him in a blanket, Josh brings him to the bedroom and lays him down on the bed. He purses his lips, looking around the room and snaps.

 

Tyler flinches when Josh snaps.

 

Josh can't understand why.

 

Carter used to snap when he was angry.

 

That never ended well.

 

He sits on the foot of the bed, shelves still messy from the other night when Tyler had fought Carter. Somehow anger has accumulated to that, no matter how bruised he was. Tyler tries opening his eyes, a shivering mess when he tries to move to Josh. "….could--you do that again?" He whispers, Josh is snapped back to reality. 

 

"…do what?"

 

"--the--the thing where you rubbed my back….?"

 

"Oh." Josh laughs a little under his breath, hand trembling when he places it on Tyler's back. As if he's afraid to touch something so fragile.  _So delicate._ He knows better than to be too straight foreword. Tyler arches his back just a little in satisfaction when Josh does that. Pleased with it. It stays silent in the room with the exception of cloth rubbed against Tyler's back. So perfect. Josh orders a pizza while Tyler lays, Tyler is subtly fearing it because Carter would usually kick him so hard he'd throw it all back up. Josh doesn't seem like he'd kick anybody. Josh would probable hesitate to hurt a fly, but who the hell knows? Tyler doesn't, his judgement can't exactly be trusted since part of him thinks Carter still has a good person deep inside of him. Tyler yawns, Josh pours a teaspoon of medication and gives it to Tyler. He spits it out on the floor, cringing. 

 

"No! No! No!" He slurs, speech different from his cold. He screws his eyes shut, Josh narrows his eyes. 

 

"Why not?" 

 

"Carter did the same thing…" He groans, spitting up remnants. Josh doesn't realize it at first, until he does.  _Carter drugged Tyler._ He's stubborn for a good reason, but Josh knows he needs it. 

 

"I'm not Carter. I'm not a narcissistic asshole that cares about his own sexual needs." Josh deadpans, Tyler crosses his arms. Josh cups Tyler's face in his hand just a little too forcefully. Tightening his grip to open Tyler's mouth like a parent would do when they want their child to spit something out. Like a battery…or car keys. Josh shoves the teaspoon in Tyler's mouth, he has no choice but to swallow. He grimaces at the taste, Josh feels terrible about having to do it that way. He steps back, Tyler takes a wary breath when he calms his breathing. Josh sits in a chair, Tyler waits for Josh to say something. Something so the silence isn't deafening.

 

"Why didn't you ever call the cops on Carter?" Josh looks to his feet, Tyler coughs, gross medication taste resurfacing. 

 

"He always found a loophole." Tyler switches his laying angle, finding it easier to keep his headache at ease when he lays a certain way. "Switched evidence. Made me seem insane…..and possessive….he knew what he was doing." Tyler shrugs. "They never believed me. I hate to admit it, Joshie, but he's good at what he does. Really good and that's really bad." He rolls over to the backside of the bed, burying his face in the pillows and shaking. His eyes flutter closed, breathing calming down when Josh's nuzzles around him.

 

The way Carter used to. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick Question: Does anybody else read Technicolor London?
> 
> Because that is my all time favorite webcomic beside Harpy Gee and Vincent Bellingham.
> 
>  
> 
> UpDaTE: I finished the wedding scene in the next chapters and Oh My GOD
> 
> Tyler's floral hoodie thing is a veil that Josh lifts at the wedding and I am so fucking sorry, amigos. So Sorry


End file.
